System and method for providing commercial services over a wireless communication network

Abstract

The inventive system provides real-time commercial services to users of mobile communication devices (MCDs) over a wireless communication network utilizing the short message service protocol (SMS). The inventive system establishes a dialog with a user of an MCD utilizing SMS to present the user with commercial service options and to allow the user to quickly and easily purchase the services by sending minimal SMS responses during the dialog process. Preferably, prior to utilization of the inventive system, the user subscribes with a service provider to pre-arrange payment options for purchased services, to provide information helpful in tailoring offered services and service options to the user, and optionally to receive enhanced services (such as discounted and/or last minute offers, etc.). Utilization of the inventive system occurs in three phases: trigger, purchase and claim. During the trigger phase (user or service provider initiated), the service to be purchased is selected. During the purchase phase, the user selects the grade and quantity of services to be purchased and authorizes payment which is processed by the service provider and thereafter receives a unique service code. During the claim phase, the user presents the service code at the service location, which is then verified using a local terminal, and the service is then delivered to the user. The inventive dialog process can be advantageously and readily configured for a wide variety of commercial services, including, but not limited to entertainment site admissions and travel.

1 . A data processing and communication method for providing commercial services over a wireless communication network to at least one user utilizing a mobile communication device configured for bi-directional communication over the wireless communication network with a service control system utilizing at least one of a short message service (SMS), or a multimedia message service (MMS) protocols, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) in response to a trigger event, selecting, by the at least one user through the corresponding mobile communication device, a service offered by a service provider;    (b) confirming a purchase of said service by the at least one user;    (c) obtaining, by the service control system, payment for said service from the at least one user; and    (d) transmitting a unique confirmation code to the at least one user confirming purchase of said service.    
     
     
         2 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 (e) prior to said step (b), selecting by the at least one user, at least one service parameter for said service.    
     
     
         3 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one service parameter comprises at least one of: grade of service, and quantity of service.  
     
     
         4 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 1 , wherein said trigger event is at least one of the following steps: 
 (f) providing, to the service control system, by the at least one user, a keyword representative of said at least one offered service desired by the at least one user,    (g) searching said service system, initiated by the at least one user, to locate said at least one desired offered service; and    (h) transmitting, by the service control system to the at least one user, an offer for said at least one offered service and accepting said offer by said at least one user.    
     
     
         5 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 4 , wherein said trigger event comprises said step (f) and wherein when said service includes at least one service option, said step (f) further comprises the step of: 
 (i) selecting at least one service option by said at least one user from said at least one service option.    
     
     
         6 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of: 
 (j) prior to said step (a), subscribing, by the at least one user to a service program offered by said service provider.    
     
     
         7 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 6 , wherein said step (j) further comprises the step of: 
 (k) providing user information representative of the at least one user to the service control system.    
     
     
         8 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 6 , wherein said step (j) further comprises the step of: 
 (l) selecting of at least one payment type by the at least one user such that payment is obtained at said step (c) utilizing one of said selected at least one payment type.    
     
     
         9 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 6 , wherein said step (j) further comprises the step of: 
 (m) selecting of at least one default preference for at least one of said at least one service parameters.    
     
     
         10 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 4 , wherein said step (d) further comprises the step of: 
 (n) transmitting to the at least one user, information representative of said purchased service and instructions for claiming said purchased service.    
     
     
         11 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 (o) after said step (d), and when the at least one user decides to claim said purchased service, presenting said confirmation code by the at least one user to a service representative at a service claim location;    (p) verifying, by the service representative using the a local communication device communicating with said service control system, validity of said confirmation code; and    (q) if said confirmation code is valid, providing the purchased service to the user.    
     
     
         12 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 11 , wherein said step (q) further comprises the step of: 
 (r) marking, at the service control system, the confirmation code as claimed to prevent future utilization of said confirmation code to claim said purchased service.    
     
     
         13 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 11 , wherein said service control system comprises a database of a plurality of valid unique confirmation codes corresponding to purchased services, and wherein said step (p) comprises comparing said confirmation code presented by the at least one user to said plural unique confirmation codes at said database.  
     
     
         14 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 13 , wherein said service control system further comprises a local control system at said service claim location, and wherein said database is downloaded to said local control system from said service control system prior to said step (o).  
     
     
         15 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 1 , wherein said service comprises at least one service selected from the following group: movies, concerts, cultural events (theater, opera, museums, performance art), sporting events, zoos, amusement parks, premium speaking engagements, travel tickets (airline, train, bus, ship), car rentals, hotel rooms, and parking.  
     
     
         16 . A data processing and communication method for enabling a user to purchase parking services for a parked predetermined vehicle over a wireless communication network utilizing a mobile communication device (MCD) configured for bi-directional communication over the wireless communication network with a parking control system utilizing at least one of a short message service (SMS), or a multimedia message service (MMS) protocols, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) at a later time transmitting, by the user via the MCD to the parking control system, a selected number of parking time units to be purchased;    (b) obtaining, by the parking control system, payment for said said selected number of parking time units from the at least one user;    (c) confirming a purchase of said parking time units by the parking control system; and    (d) recording, by the parking control system, said parking time unit purchase for said predetermined vehicle.    
     
     
         17 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of: 
 (e) prior to said step (a), registering by the user, said predetermined vehicle with the parking control system to record data representative of the predetermined vehicle with the parking control system;    (f) selecting a default payment method for said step (b); and    (g) receiving a unique identification tag, by the user from the parking control system, for display at the predetermined vehicle to alert traffic officers that the user is subscribed to the parking control system.    
     
     
         18 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of: 
 (h) notifying the user, by the parking control system, that said purchased parking time units are about to expire, prior to expiration thereof.    
     
     
         19 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of: 
 (i) repeating said step (a) by the user.    
     
     
         20 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of: 
 (j) after said step (a) and prior to said step (b) obtaining confirmation of purchased parking time from the user and only performing said step (b) when the user issues such confirmation.    
     
     
         21 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 16 , when a traffic officer equipped with a parking mobile communication device, arrives at the predetermined vehicle, further comprising the steps of: 
 (k) after said step (d), transmit information, via the parking mobile communication device, representative of the predetermined vehicle to the parking control system to determine whether any unexpired parking time units are recorded for the predetermined vehicle; and    (l) when the purchased parking time units are not recorded or expired, issuing a parking ticket to the user.    
     
     
         22 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of: 
 (m) after said step (k), transmitting by the traffic officer, using the parking mobile communication device, a message to the user representative of the status of the vehicle.    
     
     
         23 . The data processing and communication method of  claim 22 , wherein said status message is selected from the following list: “your window is open”, “your lights are on”, and “your vehicle has been damaged”.  
     
     
         24 . A data processing and communication system for providing commercial services over a wireless communication network to at least one user utilizing a mobile communication device configured for bi-directional communication over the wireless communication network, comprising: 
 at least one service system, controlled by a corresponding service provider, operable to offer at least one service to the at least one user, through the corresponding mobile communication device; and    a control system communicating with said at least one service system and the mobile communication device over the wireless communication network, operable to: 
 in response to a trigger event, provide the at least one user with an opportunity to purchase said at least one offered service;  
 receive a confirmation of purchase of said at least one offered service by the at least one user;  
 obtain payment for said at least one offered service from the at least user; and  
 transmit a unique confirmation code to the at least one user confirming purchase of said at least one offered service.  
   
     
     
         26 . The data processing and communication system of  claim 24 , wherein said control system operates utilizing at least one of a short message service (SMS), and multimedia message service (MMS) protocol.  
     
     
         27 . The data processing and communication system of  claim 24 , wherein said control system is further operable to enable the at least one user to subscribe to simplify purchase of future said at least one service from said corresponding service provider.  
     
     
         28 . The data processing and communication system of  claim 24 , wherein said trigger event is at least one of: a keyword representative of said at least one offered service provided by the at least one user, a search function initiated by the at least one user to locate said at least one offered service, and an offer for said at least one offered service system transmitted to said at least one user from said service system by said control system and accepted by said at least one user.  
     
     
         29 . The data processing and communication system of  claim 24 , wherein said offered service comprises at least one service selected from the following group: movies, concerts, cultural events (theater, opera, museums, performance art), sporting events, zoos, amusement parks, premium speaking engagements, travel tickets (airline, train, bus, ship), car rentals, hotel rooms, and parking.